Live Auction 7608Important European Furniture and Sculpture
AN EMPIRE ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY SIDE-CABINET
Lot 11 THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 

AN EMPIRE ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY SIDE-CABINET

BY JACOB FRERES, RUE MESLEE, CIRCA 1797-1803

Closed10 July 2008

Price Realised

GBP 145,250

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AN EMPIRE ORMOLU-MOUNTED MAHOGANY SIDE-CABINET
BY JACOB FRERES, RUE MESLEE, CIRCA 1797-1803
The rectangular black marble top above a frieze centred by a rosette flanked by scrolling foliage and anthemions, above a pair of doors enclosing three drawers, centred by a laurel wreath pierced by a ribbon-tied arrow and flanked by cornucopiae with foliate-cast rings, above a stiff-leaf cast moulded plinth, stamped 'JACOB FRERES RUE MESLEE', the back inscribed in chalk '78950'
40 in. (101.5 cm.) high; 65 in. (165 cm.) wide; 29 in. (74 cm.) deep

Almost certainly acquired by the duchesse de Dino around 1825 for the château de Rochecotte.
Thence by descent at Rochecotte to Count Stanislas de Castellane, heir of the duchesse de Dino.
Acquired by Emilio Terry, his brother-in-law, with the château de Rochecotte in 1934.
Sold at Sotheby's, Monaco, 13 February 1983, lot 477.
Sold at Christie's, London, 12 December 2002, lot 88, when acquired by the present owner.

Specialist note

Jacob Frères, Rue Meslée, was the stamp used by Georges II Jacob and François-Honoré-Georges Jacob during their collaboration from 1797-1803.

Designed in the 'Antique' manner popularised by Messrs. Percier and Fontaine in their Recueil des Décorations Intérieures of 1801, this cornucopiae-wrapped commode, emblematic of Plenty, was almost certainly owned by the duchesse de Dino.
Dorothée de Courlande, duchesse de Dino and princess of Sagan, subject to the Tsar of Russia, owner of the castle of Lobikaù, married in 1809 Edmond de Périgord, nephew of prince of Bénévent.
A closely related commode and a sécrétaire are illustrated in G. Wannenes, Mobili di Francia, Milan, 1987, pp.69-70.